What can I do with this degree?

Acquire teaching certificate for public school teaching. Gain experience working with children through volunteer or part-time work experiences. Graduate degree required to teach in higher education. Specialize in an area such as music, music theory, composition, music history, etc. Performance skill on one instrument or voice required. Develop business relationships with schools and/or music stores to increase client base.

PERFORMANCE

Instrumental

Vocal

Employers

Armed Forces bands and orchestras

Symphony orchestras

Small ensembles

Concert soloist

Rock or jazz groups

Church choirs

Community choral groups

Opera chorus or soloist

Musical theaters

Ballet productions

Recording industry

Radio, television, and motion picture industries

Strategies Develop musical talent and skill. Obtain formal training to acquire necessary skills, knowledge, and ability to interpret music. Ambition and showmanship are important. Join campus bands and choruses, church choirs, and other performing acts. Seek competitions, apprenticeship programs, and workshops to gain experience and recognition. Opportunities are very limited. Most performers have other careers. Auditions are generally required.

COMPOSING/ARRANGING

Composing

Arranging

Employers

Record companies

Publishers

Motion picture and television industries

Production companies

Strategies Knowledge of composition, harmony, arranging, and theory are important. Learn how to use electronic instruments and synthesizers. Develop computer and desktop publishing expertise. Skill on one or more instruments and voice are necessary. Seek grants and awards through foundations. Very few musicians earn living through composing.

Strategies Take classes in communications, broadcasting, or journalism. Work at on-campus radio station. Complete an internship at a television or radio station. Develop computer-related skills such as software development and programming.

Career Possibilities for the BA in Music:

The B.A. in Music at SVSU is a liberal arts degree with a performance emphasis. Many students and parents wonder what someone can do with a degree in music. Here are some alternatives.

A liberal arts degree does not limit a graduate to a specific career path. Instead it develops broader skills that can lead to many varied careers. This may seem daunting to a new graduate who does not know which career path to follow, but in the long term it leaves the graduate able to change fields more flexibly as the job market changes or their own inclinations develop. Here are some of the most important skills that a student with a liberal arts degree develops over the course of their college career:

to communicate clearly in writing and speech

to think creatively, critically, and analytically

to solve problems accurately and imaginatively

Music majors learn other important skills:

teamwork

collaboration

deep focus

perceptive and acute listening

disciplined practice skills

The performance emphasis of SVSU’s B.A. in Music allows the student to develop their musicianship and performance technique to a level that means they can successfully enter graduate degree programs in their performance medium, music theory, or music history.

All these attributes also make graduates good candidates for graduate degree programs in other fields. A careful choice of minor can enhance a student’s chances of success in a musical career as well as job prospects in other fields. Some of the minors we recommend are Entrepreneurship, Communication, Theatre, French, and Sociology.

For a more detailed discussion of the benefits of a degree in music, read this. For the graduate who chooses a career outside music, their musical talent, skills, and knowledge can be a lifelong avocation.